


Come What May

by Lorena_Shepard



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Awkward Romance, Awkwardness, Blutbad, Blutbad OC, Bodyguard, Cute in a weird way, Distrust, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Sebastien is adorable, Slow Burn, Spies, Torture, Wesen Character(s), Wesen are weird, just wait, seriously so awkward
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-06-02 08:13:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6558946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorena_Shepard/pseuds/Lorena_Shepard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In order to help establish an alliance with the Resistance, Sebastien is assigned a bodyguard. Raena, a silly but quick-tempered Blutbad, is assigned to protect Sebastien by Meisner. The only thing these two spies have in common: this whole plan is a bad idea.<br/>Forced to cooperate amidst growing political turmoil, an odd trust begins to form between them. And possibly something more.</p><p> </p><p>I don't own any part of Grimm, save for my OC. Also, several parts of this fic are inspired by the band "Poets of the Fall" and some lyrics are shamelessly used (including the title).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> So...I love Sebastien. Really, there is no other excuse for this fic. I hope you enjoy reading it because I really enjoyed writing it. I would love to hear your thoughts or constructive criticism. Thanks!

“You…what?” she asked breathlessly into the receiver.

Meisner rubbed the bridge of his nose, willing his subordinate to not be difficult.

“We’ve already established contact with the bastard Prince, now it’s about securing the alliance. _It will take time_.” He said firmly before she could interrupt again. “And in order to secure said alliance, it would be ideal for this bastard Prince to know that his associates are safe in our capable hands.”

“I’m not here to be a babysitter, Meisner.”

“Your skills will not be wasted, Raena,” he said impatiently. “The prince’s contact is a member assigned closely to the family, he will need to be observed and protected. Killed, if necessary.”

“He’s a double-agent for a bastard Prince in Portland? How can he be trusted at all?”

“I’ve already sent you the files, you figure it out.”

There was a lot of grumbling coupled with movement before Meisner finally heard an envelope being torn open. He heard a pleased hum from the receiver.

“Perhaps I should be thanking you. He’s cute.”

Meisner couldn’t help but chuckle, “Raena…”  
  
She sighed, “Why me? You know there are plenty of other things I’d rather be doing.”

“You’re my most trusted agent in that region, I know you’ll make it work.”

“I still think this whole thing is preposterous.”

“Good. You start immediately.”

“ _It’s Christmas Eve, you sadistic bastard!_ ” were the last words he heard before ending the call.

*******  
Christmas Eve: December 24th, 2011  
Vienna, Austria

  
The week of Christmas was a hectic time for the Royal Family and all of Vienna. Luckily, with extra security established at the castle, he had plenty of free time on his hands to enjoy the holiday. The feeling of solitude was welcome, though it was not unfamiliar. He was, for the most part, ignored unless he was immediately needed, making him all the more dangerous. Especially now that he had heard from Sean Renard.  
The outcast and bastard son of the King, had made contact with him a week ago saying only that he had a Grimm, that he was setting things into motion with the Resistance, and for him to be ready the next time he called. Sean, always the impetuous one, just like his mother. Never content to simply leave things the way they were supposed to be and always challenging the natural order of things. All reasons that Sebastien admired him growing up in the castle. They had had very little time to associate with one another when the Queen attempted to have Sean and his Hexenbiest mother assassinated, forcing the two to flee the country and establish themselves in America.

Despite their circumstances, they had remained in touch discreetly, and Sebastien had come to think fondly of his Prince, simultaneously realizing his potential as a catalyst for real change for the families. But this hint of an alliance with the Resistance made him more than a bit uncomfortable. After all, should they be discovered conspiring against the Families, he would be the first casualty.

Pushing aside his tempestuous thoughts, he pulled over next to a throng of brightly lit street vendors. He would have plenty of time to think about Sean, the Resistance, and the Families another time. Ducking out into the cold, he smiled at the famed Christmas Market, open annually in the park outside the Museum of Natural History. He wandered somewhat aimlessly, simply enjoying the cheer and the smell of baked goods, buying and sampling his favorites: Sachertorte, crepes, and apple strudel, like his mother used to make. Letting his wistfulness get the better of him, he purchased a half dozen of the warm pastries and slowly made his way back to his car, stuffing some pastry a bit boorishly into his mouth, humming at the hint of tart apple. This was exactly how Christmas should taste, he mused. His thoughts were interrupted when a warm hand slipped into his, pressing a bit of hard plastic into his palm firmly. The hand was gone just as quickly as a woman with long tresses of chestnut hair brushed past him without a word, and disappeared behind a vendor.  
    Opening his palm, he found a room key and a business card for the _Hotel Beethoven Wien_. A room number was scribbled on the back along with a hand-written note:  
  
   _Room 605._  
_We should meet._  
_~R  
_


	2. Like Night and Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sebastien and Raena's first meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, chapter 2! Let's see: I do not own Grimm except Raena and nothing borrowed from Poets of the Fall this chapter. Apologies for any inaccuracies (I have never been to Vienna, all my research is thanks to Google), let me know and I can try to correct them.  
> Again, let me know if there's something you'd like to see in upcoming chapters. Thanks for reading!
> 
> P.S. I think I'm clever for sneaking Christian Lagadec's (Sebastien's actor) last name into this fic...okay, not that clever.

He returned to his car and, without hesitation, called Sean. Several rings later, he finally answered.

"Yeah?"

"C'est moi. I believe they have made contact."

"How?"

"A woman slipped a note to me. It has a hotel, a room number, and a note. It says ' We should meet,' signed with an 'R.'"

"Anything else?"

"No."

"Hmm. Well, keep me informed."

"...Oui." The line went dead. So much for reassurance. He sighed and drove the few blocks to the _Hotel Beethoven Wien_ , hoping he was actually meeting a member of the Resistance. Because, if not...

  
_This whole thing may be over before it begins_ , he thought grimly, eying the brightly lit lobby of the hotel as he approached. The glass doors slid open and a blonde woman with a plastered-on smile greeted him.

“Welcome to _Hotel Beethoven_ , sir. May I help you?”

“Yes, my friend is in room 605. Could you tell me the way?”

“Of course. We were told to expect you. Please follow the staircase on your left up to the sixth floor and make a left, otherwise we have a lift. If you need anything, please call the front desk.” She smiled again.

“Thank you,” he made his way up the carpeted stairs, all the way to the sixth floor, seeing no one and hearing nothing but his own footsteps. He found the room and knocked tentatively, hearing no response from within, before using the key card that accompanied the strange note. The room was lavish; with the lavatory immediately off to his right and an open bedroom down the short hallway to his left. Just past that was a dresser, it's only decoration a rather expensive bottle of MaCallan 17. Most of the décor was wood, coupled with light green curtains and a matching bedspread. Just a few feet from the end of the bed was a glass table framed by two upholstered chairs, the one furthest from the bed occupied by the chestnut-haired woman who had slipped him the note at the market. She stood, setting her tumbler on the table gracefully.

“You’re much cuter in person than your photograph,” she said with a smirk.

“I see you’re as subtle as your note,” he said irritably, glancing about the room for any other surprises. “Who are you?”

“Straight to business, Monsieur Lagadec?” she paused, for dramatic effect, sighing when she received no reaction. “Very well. I’m Raena, an associate of Meisner. I’m here as your bodyguard and contact."  
Sebastien scoffed, looking the woman up and down. Though he wasn’t a tall man, she was several inches shorter than he, lithe in body, and physically unimposing.

“ _You_ are my bodyguard?” He said incredulously, earning him a dark look from Raena. “You are joking.”

“No joke,” she said slowly, her cheeks coloring a bit. “We take care of our own. As long as you are allied with us, no harm will come to you.”

“You mean they protect their own interests by disposing of anyone in disagreement.”

“Well, aren’t we feisty.” she made her way coyly towards him. “A very attractive trait.”  
Sebastien retreated a pace, eyes locked on the woman who peered at him with interest, her fingers drumming gently on the desk to her left.

"Why are we here?" he demanded.

The woman, Raena, straightened and all silliness disappeared from her face.

"You're here to assist your Prince and I'm here to keep you alive and to make sure that you both hold up your end of the deal with the Resistance. Since we're 'associates' now, I thought a face to face meeting was appropriate."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You don't." she said, shrugging. "I think this is a mistake, but I have my orders. And so do you, undoubtedly."

"I do. But I do not trust the Resistance."

"Well, despite our distrust of the situation we can at least be civil with one another for now. Agreed?" she held out her hand, a sincere smile lighting her face. If Sebastien was being honest, he had to admit that she was captivating. This thought only served to aggravate his wariness of her.

“Very well. Civility, it is.” He agreed, shaking her hand briefly. “Now what?”

“Now, we wait for orders and make sure our other contacts are ready. You can contact me here at the hotel if you need, well, anything,” she said suggestively, looking him up and down until he squirmed uncomfortably. Laughing, she handed him her number scrawled on another business card. “Relax, Monsiuer Lagadec, I only bite when asked.”

He took the card, a bit flustered. “I’ll wait for your call, then.”

As he hurried out of the room, he heard her murmur: “See you soon.”

*******  
The door closed swiftly after her guest and the cocky smirk on Raena's face faded. After several minutes of pacing and muttering to herself, she sat back in her chair, drink in hand, and called Meisner.

"Is it done?" he asked immediately.

"Yes, I've made contact."

"And?"

"He doesn't seem convinced."

"Well, convince him then."

"Even when I'm not really sold on the concept either?" she argued.

"Raena," Meisner warned.

"I know, I know. You don't pay me to think, you pay me to be pretty."

"I'd be paying you a lot more, were that the case." he scoffed.

"I'll get it done, Meisner."

"I know you will." the line went dead and she allowed the phone to drop gracelessly to the floor. She propped her feet on the obnoxiously expensive glass table and drained her glass, eying the bottle of MaCallan scotch on her dresser, willing it to levitate and pour her another drink. Predictably, the bottle sat unmoved. She glowered at it.

"If I were a Hexenbiest that would have worked," she said bitterly.

 _It should be gratifying, making an allegiance against the Royals with two of their own_ , she thought, staring at the ice cubes in her glass. _But all I can think about is everything that can go wrong. What if I fail? What if Meisner is in danger? What if the Royals have already outplayed us and that cute Frenchman is coming back right now to put a bullet in my head and collect the bounty?_

Considering even one of those possibilities made her head ache, so instead she closed her eyes and pressed the cold glass to her forehead with a low sigh.

"This is never going to work," she murmured to the empty room.


	3. Apple Strudel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raena and Sebastien find some common ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello! Again: I don't own Grimm, Raena is mine, and Sebastien stole his actor's last name XD  
> Hope you guys are enjoying! I'm getting a kick out of writing it. Would love to hear from you! Comment at will, thanks guys!

After trailing  Monsieur Lagadec for the past week, she had come to one concrete conclusion:

  
The man was completely, unutterably, and intolerably _boring_.

  
He ran errands around Vienna, barely spoke to anyone, and kept to himself even at the castle. She consoled her boredom by working out in the unfamiliar terrain and hunting as necessary, a skill she continued to use despite the advent of grocery stores.  
After five long days of this routine,  Monsieur Lagadec finally emerged without his every day suit and trench coat ensemble, looking good enough to eat in a blue undershirt and black leather jacket. She watched from her perch in the trees as he climbed into his car and drove for the city. Retrieving her stashed _V-Strom_ , Raena crammed her helmet on her disheveled hair and sped off after the car.

Ten minutes into the drive, she noticed  Monsieur Lagadec's car pulling further and further away, despite her best efforts to stay close. With a grin, she allowed him to believe he had gained the advantage as he disappeared from her sight.

  
_Two can play at that game,  Monsieur._

  
Lifting her visor, she caught his scent in the air and held onto it, following him deeper into the city. However, other scents began to creep in, muddying his scent. Several blocks before they reached the city center, his scent barely stood out among the snow, food, and colorful smells of other people. Finally, she pulled over and tugged off her helmet, disgruntled.

  
"...are you kidding me." Rubbing her nose in disbelief. "I lost him."

  
She glanced around, looking for any sign of his vehicle, her eyes widening when it pulled into the parking space just in front of her bike. An unamused Monsieur Lagadec stepped out of the driver door and gave her a long hard look as he approached.

  
Raena felt heat rise in her cheeks. "Well, this is embarrassing."

"You," he said in disbelief. "You're _following_ me."

  
"That is sort of my job." She reasoned, eying him carefully. _I underestimated you, pretty Frenchman,_ she thought to herself. _It won't happen again._

  
"And don't insult my intelligence, Monsieur Lagadec. You lost me on purpose, backtracked to see who was following you, and now you're gloating." she chided him playfully. "How very rude. And here I thought we were being civil."

  
He blushed a pretty pink color that had Raena grinning again.

Dismounting, she locked her helmet to her bike and turned to him expectantly. "Christmas Market? I'm starving."

He gaped at her, an incredulous expression on his face, before he seemed to resign himself to the situation at hand.

"Are those leaves in your hair?" he asked, eying her appearance. "Where have you- oh."

Again, he was staring as if he couldn't believe she was real. In the worst way.

"You need some new hobbies, by the way. There's got to be more to your life than being a lacky for the Royals," she kept her eyes trained on him as she pulled her unruly chestnut hair into a high ponytail. Her comment made his face sour, but he was quick to mask it with an air of detachment.

"You must have even less to do if you're living in a cold forest spying on me when you have a perfectly good hotel room here in the city," he said curtly.

Raena chuckled, "Touché. Come on, let's swing by the _Café Museum_ on our way to the Market. I need some hot chocolate with marshmallows."

"You are joking."

*******

  
_This is never going to work,_ Sebastien thought with an inward sigh.

First of all, she had not been joking.

And second, she wasn't satisfied until she had ordered the _Café Museum_ 's largest hot chocolate, with marshmallows, two croissants, and an apple. The croissants and apple were devoured before they even set foot outside the cafe. Once they were finally on their way to the market, Sebastien sipped his own coffee and periodically glanced at the strange woman walking beside him, wondering how his service to the Royals had led him here: going to the Christmas Markets of Vienna with a flippant Resistance spy who had a penchant for stalking, gluttony, and over-the-top flirting. He tried his best to not look annoyed when she hummed dramatically over her hot chocolate. Unfortunately, she noticed.

  
"Are you jealous that I got marshmallows with my hot chocolate?"

"I don't like marshmallows."

"What!" she demanded, earning several stares from passersby. "Do you completely hate the taste of happiness?"

Sebastien hushed her sharply, "Keep your voice down!"

Raena was unphased as they arrived at the market and peered at him thoughtfully with sapphire eyes. "In all seriousness, what _do_ you like?"

"Why are you trying to make this personal?" he asked rudely, eyes hard on her.

"Why do you keep trying to make us enemies?" she countered curiously, buying a small bag of chestnuts from one of the stalls. She looked at him, head cocked to one side. "Aren't you going to get anything?"  
He was going to tell her no, he was not getting anything and that this whole thing was preposterous, when he took another look at the stall, frowning to himself.

  
_This is the exact stall I went to just before we met..._ he thought. _Did she do this on purpose?_

  
Choosing to ignore this coincidence, he picked out one of the last strudels, biting into the warm taste of apples and home. Raena smiled approvingly and spoke again.

"Besides, if I'm going to be putting my cause and my life on the line for you, it'd be nice to know you as more of a person instead of ' _because it's my job_.'" Her sarcasm was nearly tangible.

  
Sebastien pressed his lips together in irritation. Unfortunately, she had a point. They were supposed to be working together, but between their occupation, his loyalties, and her complete disregard for anything serious made their unlikely partnership all the more...strained. They could not afford to trust one another, but if they didn't, they would accomplish nothing. His train of thought was interrupted when she leaned over and took a bite out of his strudel, her slightly chapped lips trailing over his finger as she pulled away. His mouth went completely dry as he stared at her.

"You're thinking too much,  Monsieur Lagadec," she said with a wry grin. She chewed the strudel thoughtfully. "Not as good as my mother's, but still delicious."

He smiled without really meaning to, "My mother used to make apple strudel, too."

"You see,  Monsieur," she said warmly. "We're making progress at last."

They lingered for quite a while at the Market as Raena dragged him through the stalls until they were both nearly frozen. As the sun was beginning to set, Sebastien parted her company at the Hotel Beethoven. She promised to inform him the moment they were put on assignment which, she assured him, would be very soon. Sebastien drove back to the castle in the deepening twilight, his burdens not so heavy on his mind.


	4. Doubts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our darling duo go on their first mission together, but this ship isn't ready to sail yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some more notes at the end of the chapter that explain the references I used. Thank you for reading!  
> P.S. The Verrat are the Wesen task force of the Royals, mostly Hundjägers [Grimm Wiki is a great reference page for all of this! :)]  
> P.P.S. my first of many Supernatural jokes is contained in this chapter. Can you find it? XD

The melody of " _In diesen heil'gen Hallen_ " pulled Raena swiftly out of sleep. From her den beneath the covers, she groped for her cell phone on the nightstand, smirking as she answered.

  
" _Guten Morgen, Sarastro_."

"You still haven't changed my ringtone, have you." Meisner accused.

"Nope. Never will." she laughed sleepily.

There was an amused sigh from him, "How are things going?"

"Well, I got room service last night, some good cable, and-"

"Raena."

"You're still no fun." she paused. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I think I'm making progress, but he could be a very good actor. We shouldn't underestimate him. He, uh, managed to get away from me the other day."

"Play carefully with this one, Raena. We don't know enough about them yet to take any chances."

"Understood."

"Good. I have a job for you that involves a former dance partner of yours,"

"Really?" she tossed aside her mass of blankets, regretting her decision as the chill air raised goose flesh all over her body. "Where?"

" _Shakespeare and Company_. He's running a halfway house for us at the moment, but we need more involvement from him. Convince him to keep an eye on Verrat movement, I don't like what I'm hearing about them. And bring Sebastien along."

  
"Far be it from me to criticize you," she grunted, yanking on her jeans. "But didn't you just say we shouldn't take chances?You really want him knowing who one of our agents is? _And_ knowing what he's up to?"

"We'll give him the benefit of the doubt first, we don't have time to play games. If he fails, you know what to do. _Bis später, Pamina_." he teased and hung up. Raena shook her head fondly, missing her mentor. As she sorted through the closet for a shirt, she texted Monsieur Lagadec:

_08:03 - Apple strudel, one hour?_

Almost immediately, he responded:

_8:05 - Oui._

  
She made her way downstairs to the breakfast room and ordered enough food to fill both her table and a small cart. The quiet ambiance of the room was pleasing as she sipped her coffee and read the paper. One hour later, almost to the minute, Monsieur Lagadec was escorted to her table. He was back in his 'uniform', consisting of a suit and a beige trenchcoat, accompanied with bags under his eyes. She could smell the stress rolling off of him in waves even as he eyed her breakfast.

  
"We're back to the 'tax accountant' look, I see."

"Did you have guests?" he asked curiously, ignoring her in favor of scanning the numerous plates littering the table.

"No," she blinked. "...why?"

He stared at her, his mouth twitching as if he wanted to smile, but instead shook his head, glancing around at the other patrons in the small dining room.

"Is there any food left in the hotel?"

"Wow, a joke? I'm impressed." He sat down as she pushed an untouched plate full of semmel, boiled eggs, ham, and two pastries towards him. "This is for you."

"I'm not hungry, thank you." Raena rolled her eyes. "Why am I here?"

"Judging by how quickly you got here, you must have skipped breakfast."

"I'm fine."

She huffed impatiently, able to not only hear his stomach rolling with hunger but smell that he had, indeed, not eaten anything that day.

"You cannot do your job properly on an empty stomach, Monsieur," she said, pouring a cup of coffee for him. "And, as your bodyguard, I refuse to take you on a job until you are fully prepared for the task."

He scrutinized her carefully for several seconds. "You're serious, aren't you."

"Incredibly." she flashed him a smile. "We have time. Help yourself."

She heard his heart stutter briefly and his ears turned a light shade of pink, but he said nothing and began to eat silently across from her. Feeling rather pleased with herself, she returned to her newspaper and coffee, taking in the quiet normalcy of the morning.

*******

Thanks to the end of the holiday season, traffic was thick as they drove to their destination. Sebastien glanced at his associate in the passenger seat, an unfamiliar feeling of gratitude making him bite back a smile. It was difficult to find time to eat at the castle, the Royal family always having some task or another for him to perform. Especially a certain Royal bastard.

Unbidden, his conversation with Sean that morning returned to him:

_A phone call woke him at 3:03A.M. and Sebastien scrambled out of a dead sleep to answer._

_"Oui?"_

_"I can't talk long, how's everything going?"_

_"It's fine, but I still have my doubts."_

_"Stay on their good side," Voices drifted in from the background, likely Sean's subordinates at the police station. "We need this alliance to work, for now."_

_"Yes, but I'm not so certain they have our best interests in mind."_

_There was no answer, only muffled speaking from Sean's end of the phone. He wasn't even certain if he had heard him._

_"Do whatever it takes," Sean said impatiently. "Just make it happen, Sebastien."_

_The call ended, leaving him hollow and frustrated._

_He had finally gotten back to sleep, but still woke early. As he dressed for the day, his phone buzzed softly in his pocket. The text, from an unknown number, read simply:_

_08:03 - Apple strudel, one hour?_

_No one, except Raena, could possibly be that direct and still maintain a semblance of mystery._

He had smiled then, in spite of himself. It was exactly what he needed after the phone call with Sean. And, with a full breakfast in his stomach for once, he was ready for the day.

_Funny_ , he thought to himself, slowing the car again as a crowd of tourists stampeded from their hotel across the street. _I don't recall the last time someone asked me if I ate, much less cared if I had._  
He immediately shoved the troubling thought away, frowning to himself. _Focus on the task. Remember: 'whatever it takes.'_

"Where are we going?" he asked neutrally.

"It's a bookstore called _Shakespeare and Company_. You'll take a right up here."

"And what are we doing at a bookstore?"

"We're meeting a friend of mine. Meisner wants him to go deeper undercover."

"So we're extending the branch of diplomacy?"

"You've got it," she smiled from the passenger seat. "Take another right here."

Sebastien nodded, circling around the block to find parking along the street near the bookstore. It was an unassuming shop with large display windows and a sign hanging out front reading ' _Shakespeare & Company Booksellers_,' a homemade painting of Shakespeare himself taking up the majority of the background. 

Sebastien raised an eyebrow, "Here?"

Raena gave him a lopsided grin, "Looks can be deceiving, Monsieur. Come on."

The shop was fairly small but packed with bookcases that reached from the floor to the ceiling, numerous tables, displays, and racks. A balding man of fifty or so stood just behind the computer at his desk, nearly hidden behind the books stacked on every available surface. He greeted them softly, peeking over his glasses.

" _Guten Tag_ , can I help you find something?"

"Do you carry any Pablo Neruda?" Raena asked, gazing at the bookshelves.

"No, only Federico Lorca."

" _Ellos nunca me encontraron_?" she said effortlessly.

" _No, nunca me encontraron_." the man smiled and beckoned them closer. " _Él está por allá, Señorita_."

" _Muchas gracias_ ," Sebastien followed behind her to the back room, making a mental note that this mysterious woman could speak English, German, and Spanish. The store room, if it could even be called that, was snug and even more impossibly stocked than the sales room.

"Arlo," Said a grumpy voice. "This box is not Franz Kafka, you old fool, it's full of your damn-"

The man came around a cluttered corner and stopped abruptly, eyes on Raena.

" _Amiga_!" the dark-haired man seized her in his arms and hugged her close.The emotion on his face made Sebastien shift uncomfortably. " _Cómo estás? Te he_ -"

His eyes darted to Sebastien suspiciously," _Quien es_?"

"German, Gustavo, please." Raena chuckled. "My Spanish isn't that good anymore."

"Like it ever was," the man teased, earning a swat from her. _Not just 'friends'_ , he thought drily as they broke their embrace. _This is a lovers reunion_. A thought that should not trouble him as much as it did.

"Gustavo, this is my partner Sebastien," Sebastien ignored the swell of pride in his chest. _Focus on the task, focus on the task_ , he chanted to himself. "He works for the Royal bastard in Portland, he's on our side."

"Meisner said he was trying something risky, but I had no idea just how risky." Gustavo sized him up, arms crossed. "I'm Gustavo."

"Nice to meet you," Sebastien said, a bit gruffly.

"So, what is this about, Raena?"

"We need you to put out more feelers for Verrat movement,"

Gustavo's eyes widened, "Do you have any idea how much danger I'm already in? Between the fake passports, I.D.'s, birth certificates-"

"I know, my friend. But things are beginning to pick up speed and we need you and we need to know what the Royal families and their lackeys are up to," she put a lingering hand on his arm before turning to Sebastien. "Do you have any contacts that would help him with this?" 

_No. It's not too late to back out. If you leave now, this whole thing-_

"Uh, yes. Just give me a moment," he took out his phone and cycled through his contacts, swallowing the bile rising in his throat. This coup had suddenly become all too real and his head spun with the realization. This was really happening. And there was no way out. How had all of this come down to one simple question?

_Damn it, why didn't I tell her no?_

With surprisingly steady hands, he sent the contacts information to Gustavo, who diligently mulled this over for a moment, muttering to himself, and Raena, in Spanish. At length, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Alright, you've won me over," he shook his head slowly. "I will help any way I can. I don't know how I let you talk me into these things, Raena."

"When we've won the war, you'll thank me," she said, shooting Sebastien a smile. He tried to smile back, but all he could feel was fear and uncertainty roiling around in his guts. The feeling refused to fade and that nagging voice returned.

_This is a mistake. She's using you and she's going to get you killed._

"We'll be in touch, Gustavo," Raena chirped happily, turning her gaze back to Sebastien. "We should get going."  
"Yes," he said quietly, already making his way to the front of the store and out onto the street, hoping the fresh air would clear away the panic that was beginning to make it impossible to think straight. 

It didn't help.

With a sigh, he started his car and heard Raena slide into the passenger seat beside him, her eyes boring into the side of his head. He said nothing and pulled into the street, his hands in a vice-like grip on the steering wheel as he drove them back to the _Hotel Beethoven_. 

_What have I done?_ he thought frantically. _How can Sean ask me to do this? I'm the one taking all the risk, I'm the one who-_  
  
"Thank you for your help today," she said, her upbeat tone igniting something dark inside him. "With your information and Gustavo's help, we can really find their weaknesses, hit them where it hurts, and-"

"How could you do that?" he demanded. "How could you ask more of him when he made it clear to you he didn't want to be involved?"

"This was not my decision to make," she answered carefully.

"No, but you're just fine doing whatever your puppeteer dictates, including manipulating your own friends to die for your cause," he scoffed.

"And I suppose you aren't a slave to the whims of your master?" she spat, eyes hard on him. "Like it or not Monsieur Lagadec, we all have our part."

"I grew up with Sean!" he was shouting now and he couldn't stop himself. "I refuse to be a pawn that's moved around the board and sacrificed at whim!"

She stared at him, lips parted, for several seconds. When she spoke again, her voice was gentle.

"Is that what you're afraid of? Dying?"

Sebastien had had enough. Through the roar of blood in his ears and the angry thumping in his chest, he could barely hear the horns of cars behind him as he swerved from the middle lane all the way to the curb, slamming the car to a stop.

"Get out," he commanded.

"What?"

" _Get. Out._ "

Raena shook her head and shoved her way out the passenger door, turning back to face him.

"We all die, Monsieur Lagadec," she said flatly, sapphire eyes hard on him. "But it's what you fight for that makes all the difference."

He sped off, the force of the wind slamming the passenger door shut as he left the chestnut-haired woman behind, plagued by his own doubts, fears, and inadequacy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * "In diesen heil'gen Hallen" is sung by the character Sarastro (a teacher with great wisdom) in the play "The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Pamina, the sort-of heroine, is from the same opera and a student of Sarastro. 
> 
> *Bis später = see you later (German)
> 
> * Federico Lorca, a Spanish poet who was executed at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War by Nationalist forces, and the code that Arlo and Raena use is a quote from Lorca's work "The Fable And Round of the Three Friends" and translates as:  
> R: They never found me?  
> A: No, they never found me. He's over there, miss.


	5. Come What May

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been nine days since Sebastien has seen Raena. Has their partnership been terminated before it even started?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some bad language in this chapter and some brief violence. Thank you for reading! :D More notes at the end for stuff incorporated into the chapter.

Sebastien woke to his alarm bugling on the nightstand beside him. Without opening his eyes, he silenced it and, not for the first time, wished he had been relaxed enough to sleep. Nine days had passed since his meltdown in the car with Raena. Nine days of guilt, fear, and troubled sleep.

Nine days since he had seen or heard from her at all.

_You barely know her_ , he rationalized to himself. _She has an agenda that does not include your best interests._

The words sounded hollow even in his own mind. Clearly, his brain wasn't going to let this go. He sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly before checking his phone for messages. Just as every day before, there was nothing.

_If this doesn't resolve itself, you will need to tell Sean._

With that thought, he felt a headache bloom behind his eyes. He slowly unbuttoned his silk pajamas, carelessly letting them pool on the floor at his feet before shuffling to the closet to pull on his suit. The arduous task took him more than twenty minutes.

He spent the day in a listless state, much as he had for the last week, and checking his phone every moment he was alone. No text or phone call ever came.  
It was after 9 P.M. when he finally retired to his room, knowing that he was unlikely to achieve any restful sleep despite his prevalent exhaustion. Just as he was about to pull off his suit jacket, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in,"

One of the numerous servants stepped in and handed him an envelope.

"Sorry to disturb you, but the Prince would like you to deliver this immediately to one of his agents in the field," he explained, handing Sebastien a thick envelope. "He'll be waiting for you at _Cafe Sperl_."

Only when the servant departed did Sebastien let out a heavy sigh.

"Oh well," he murmured to himself softly, shrugging into his trench coat. "I wasn't going to sleep anyway."

Some concerto or another poured quietly from the speakers as he drove into Vienna. As he pulled up to the curb outside _Cafe Sperl_ , a man in a long black coat approached his driver window. Tall, bald, and never speaking a word, Sebastien recognized him from previous dealings with the Verrat. He slipped the envelope through the window into his waiting hands, receiving a curt nod before drifting off into the night. His job complete, he rolled up his window and was about to return to the castle when he glanced at the sign for the cafe.

_Hmm, they have pastries..._ he mused to himself, then frowned. _Cafe Sperl is very close to the Hotel Beethoven._

Things could not go on like this. They both had a higher calling and he couldn't let his own feelings jeopardize their relationship with the Resistance in its infancy. So, either he could tell Sean that he had failed in his task, a horrifying and wholly unpleasant situation for everyone involved. Or-

He could apologize.

His stomach rolled nervously. If he apologized, he would be admitting he was wrong to losing his temper and letting his emotions get the better of him. Not an altogether pleasing prospect, either. However, not only would his ties to the Resistance be strengthened, it should repair the damage done to his relationship with Raena.

Sebastien was out of his car and walking briskly up Lehargasse street before he could stop himself. As he walked, he kept his head down against the wind and pulled his trench coat tighter around his frame, wishing not for the first time, that winter was over.

_What am I going to say?_ he wondered, continuing up the street until the lobby lights of Raena's hotel were visible. _I owe you an apology, Fraulein Raena, for my rash actions and hasty speech- that sounds horribly rehearsed. Please forgive me for- insincere. This is not going well._

He released a heavy sigh. Ready or not. As he stepped to cross the street, strong hands seized him by the shoulders, careening him backwards until he struck the wall of a building sharply. Any air left in his lungs was expelled in a sharp gasp. Dimly, the back of his skull throbbed. Raising his eyes, he saw two men, both in down jackets and jeans, though one wore a wool cap. They appeared amused.

"Don't you know it's dangerous to walk alone at night?" the man with the cap asked smugly, squeezing Sebastien's shoulder painfully, forcing him to wince. His cohort chuckled darkly.

"What do you want?" Sebastien asked, glancing between the two of them.

"You're dealing in our neighborhood, moron," the second man said. "Pay up."

"You heard the man. We want our cut or it's _you_ whose gonna be cut."

"This is a misunderstanding," Sebastien said slowly. "That wasn't a drug deal, it-"

"Oh, a misunderstanding, huh?" he pulled Sebastien forward only to smack the back of his head into the building once again, making his vision swim. "So, I guess what you're saying is: you think we're stupid."

"That's not what I-"

His head collided with the wall for a third time and he began to feel nauseous.

"Tell you what. We beat your face in, take your shit, and we call it even?" With a small shrug of his shoulders, his skin cracked and hardened into pale yellow scales while his cruel smile became a mouth of pointed fangs. Sebastien shuddered as the creature waggled his forked tongue in his face, tasting him, his breath huffing out of the gills in his throat when he laughed.

"You shouldn't play with things that aren't yours."

Sebastien turned his head as much as he dared, seeing Raena only a few feet away from him, her expression frightening.

"Who's this bitch?" the second man said, his skin rippling and shifting before he, too, was covered in pale yellow scales.

"Then again," Raena smiled. "You Skalengecks have always been stupid lizards."

The Skalengeck abruptly released his hold on him and Sebastien's legs gave out under him, sending him to the ground. Above him, the Skalengeck hissed at Raena before launching himself across the distance. Sebastien was about to call out to her when she tossed her head, a change coming over her features as startlingly as it had the two thugs.

Her soft features melted away, becoming furrowed and furious, her teeth grew and sharpened, leaving her canines to hang out from her lips in a snarl. The first Skalengeck reached her quickly, but before he could blink she had him in her clawed grip, flinging him behind her with ease as the second descended on her. This one she seized by the wrist and the back of the neck, using his own momentum to swing him head first into the side of the brick building Sebastien leaned against, knocking him out cold. In one fluid motion she turned back to the first Skalengeck who had regained his feet before she swept them out from under him, his head bouncing off the sidewalk, sending him into unconsciousness. She stood over the Skalengecks, perhaps to be certain that they were no longer capable of threatening them, before turning her attention to him.

Her eyes were a shocking blood red, nearly glowing in the dim streetlight, and her expression was hard.

"Monsieur Lagadec-" she began curtly.

"Sebastien," he murmured, staring at her. "You did just save my life."

All wolf-like features melted away from her face, shifting back until she was the blue-eyed bodyguard he had met scarcely three weeks ago.

"I didn't know you were Wesen," he continued. "Blutbad, correct?"

"That's right," she said carefully, looking him up and down, presumably for wounds. He felt his face flush a bit. "I should have known you were a _Kehrseite-Schlich-Kennen_."

She stood awkwardly for a moment, toying with the hem of her leather jacket.

"Stay out of trouble," she said flatly, turning to leave.

"I'm sorry."

*******

"I'm sorry," Sebastien said quietly. She nearly gave herself whiplash turning to face him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated, staring at his knees. "I...I was afraid. And I took it out on you."

She took a moment to look at him as he swallowed nervously, his heart nearly beating out of his chest, and listening to his quiet, sincere words. She huffed softly.

"Apology accepted. But you weren't afraid."

"Excuse me?"

"Not completely, anyway," she said simply. "You smelled angry and I think you were angry because you don't want to feel expendable, least of all to the man you swore fealty to."

"I-" he seemed to consider her words. "...I suppose you're right."

He jumped when she knelt in front of him and took his cool face in her warm hands. Raena's own heart skipped a beat when he leaned into her touch.

"We're all afraid and angry, you know. But you're not expendable," she said quietly, staring into his wide, dark brown eyes. "And I'll be here with you, come what may."

"Thank you," he breathed, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Let's check your wounds, hm? That Skalengeck got you pretty good." she smiled warmly, eyeing the back of his scalp carefully. "Not too bad, a little bit of blood, but we should check you for a concussion, just to be sure."

He chuckled, "Raena, I'm freezing. And the Prince is expecting me back tonight."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'll have the doctor at the castle check when I get back."

"Very well," she sighed, but gave him a cheeky grin. "I'll escort the _damoiseau_ in distress back to his vehicle."

She gave a theatrical bow, to which Sebastien dramatically rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Not all of us learned to fight, you know. Who taught you?"

"I had an Aikido master who trained me shortly after I joined the Resistance," she explained, sidestepping the unconscious thugs and falling into step beside her charge. "Sensei Kobayashi."

"You speak Japanese too?" he asked incredulously.

"Oh god, no. I tried to impress him once by saying 'have a nice day' in Japanese, he gave me the sourest look and told me my accent was atrocious. I never tried again." she laughed, pleased when he finally allowed himself to chuckle in her presence. "What about you?"

"I speak English, French, and German. My parents were French."

"So how did you end up in Austria, of all places?"

"We moved here when I was very young. My mother was also a spy and my father attended university with one of the King's nephews."

"That's how you grew up with your Prince?"

"Yes. We were childhood acquaintances, I suppose." he smiled and glanced sidelong at her. "How long have you been with the Resistance?"

"About six and a half years, I joined right out of college."

"Why, if I may ask?"

"I think that's a story for another time," she said, trying to keep her voice light. "I'll get my bike and escort you back to the castle."

Sebastien frowned, glancing between her and his car. "How did you know where I was parked...?"

She gave him her best wolfish grin, "Did you really think you were rid of me that easily? I've been with you everyday."

He stared at her.

"You really had no idea," she chuckled and straightened his disheveled trench coat. "You should pay more attention."

"I just might," he smiled, unintentionally leaning towards her. "Why are you so warm...?"

Raena felt heat rise in her ears,"It's too cold for you, _Kehrseite_ , you're babbling."

She opened his car door, ushering him inside, trying not to let her touch linger. He started the car and rolled down his window.

"Goodnight, Sebastien."

"Goodnight," he gave her a shy smile and held her gaze as if searching for an answer he knew he didn't dare ask. A moment passed and he drove away towards the castle. Raena stood a moment in the street, gazing after him and wondering just what the hell was going on. She shook her head, exhaling long and slow.

_Don't even go there._

Dismissing her thoughts, she retraced her steps to her _V-Strom_ and easily trailed him back to the castle. And if she stayed in the forest instead of her hotel room that night, well, no one had to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skalengecks = icky snake-like Wesen
> 
> Blutbad = wolf-like Wesen
> 
> Wesen = creatures in Grimm, Grimm Wiki explains it better.
> 
> Kehrseite/Kehrseite-Schlich-Kennen = Human/Human who knows about Wesen
> 
> Damoiseau = basically, the male version of "damsel"
> 
> Aikido = a Japanese martial art that focuses on using your attackers energy against them. This martial art doesn't technically have striking attacks, although Steven Seagal is an Aikido master and incorporates striking moves into his repertoire. So, think more "Steven Seagal" for Raena instead of simply Aikido.


End file.
